Willow
Willow is a wandering poet / writer that currently resides in Cheong-woon Valley. History Cheong-woon Valley Hoyoung goes to a local tavern of a marketplace and listen to the information. Ironhide says to a wandering poet, Willow that a couple days ago, one of the mountains in the area quaked and shook, and a river nearby changed its course entirely, folks are claiming that after that, they started to seein' way more monsters around there. Hoyoung thinks that sure does sound familiar. Ironhide talk to Willow that a couple years back, the town's information brokerage started keeping a few private investigators on the payroll, and he thinks it was around the time the ownership changed hands, and they sniff out answers around in the Cheong-woon Valley, for issues large and small, they don't come cheap, but their results speak for themselves, they have become something like local heroes here. Ironhide got a fish bone stuck in his throat so hard to talk like that, but a cool shot of somethin' stuff oughtta wash it right down. Hoyoung thinks that he did have to stop right there, and they're putting in an order with the tavern's owner, and buy the look on her face, she seems troubled about something, sounds like they're out of whatever he ordered, she's saying it'll take some time to pull more out of the storage cellar. Hoyoung makes a conveniently timed delivery of some Sikhye, with his amazing acting, no one was the wiser. Willow talks to Ironhide that a small temple outside the village, the head monk who died, and a handsome monk who comes in after he died, however, there have been rumors he's started to sequester himself in the temple, naturally, people assume he's staying in the sanctum pray'in for the safety of the town, but it's strange. After several months, several days, and few days later, Hoyoung transforms into trainee and eavesdrops this. Ironhide says to Willow that still, it must have been rough, coming back to his old hometown after so long only to have all this happen. Willow says it is not an experience he had care to repeat, he can say that much, but he can not be too upset, it gave him a fabulous font of inspiration for his next novel, so ultimately, even this dark cloud had its silver lining, he can see it now: Noble of heart and bald of head, the Handsome Monk must struggle to save his town from the vile clutches of the Monster Rat, publishers love that whole 'based on a true story' thing, and it is gonna be a million seller, flying off the shelves in droves, it will be halfway to retirement on the publisher advances alone. Hoyoung returns to his original form. Taotie says it sounds to him like the villagers really believe the Handsome Monk solved this whole thing himself, none but themselves truly know what happened in the temple that right. Hoyoung says in the end, it does not really matter if anyone knows the whole story, and there are plenty of times when the real hero is the one working behind the scenes, heck, even the great sage did not always take center stage, "I am but a simple wanderer..." maybe he has finally earned the chance to use that line for real. After Hoyoung solves the problem in Cheong-woon Valley, he can visit Willow to learn about Grandis's foreshadowings. *An Anima I Encountered :It's generally understood that the Anima aren't fond of fighting. :But I did encounter a noble exception--an Anima performing as a gladiator in a coliseum. :Their skill in taunting their opponent and making a fool of them showed that not only were they a skilled combatant, they actually enjoyed it. :Of course, they were concealing their features, so I couldn't tell which animal they took their lineage from. :But there was no mistaking their wild movements. Only someone with the keen senses of an animal could pull off those kinds of athletics. *The Princess's Castle :In my wanderings, I came to an ancient castle, complete with a grand garden that looked pretty as any painting. :A princess lives there, attended by her many servants. :But the princess never sets foot outside her castle, preferring to remain within. :Even I don't know when the City Gates will open. :Still, I enjoy walking around the castle grounds, whenever I find myself in the area. *A Mechanical Body :In certain places, technology has advanced far enough that people can replace parts of their bodies with synthetic parts. :But the knowledge necessary to create such technology is considered a great secret, and very few people know how to do it. :The rumors say there's even someone who went as far as to replace their entire body with mechanical parts. :Do you think that means they'd get a mechanical brain, too? How would they know they were still themselves? The character referred to in this story is implied to be Senya. *The Boy Who Didn't Age :One day, on my travels through Grandis, I got hopelessly lost in the forests near Pantheon. :I had no idea where I was, and wondered if I might actually die out there... :Thankfully, that didn't happen, because a young boy--a magician--appeared and saved my life. :He might've grumbled a bit, sure, but he did heal me. :As soon as I had recovered, he used his magic to send me away. :I never got to ask his name, and I don't know that I could find that particular area of the forest again even if I tried. The character referred to in this story is implied to be Melange. Aftermath Hoyoung and Taotie listen to Ironhide and Willow's story. Ironhide asks Willow about rumors of another Transcendent starting a war in Grandis. Willow tells Ironhide that a man with dragon horns and a tail is gathering people for a counterattack. NPC Marketplace Gallery NPCArtwork Willow.png|NPC Artwork of Willow Trivia *In original text, 버들 (Beodeul) means willow. Category:Cheong-woon Valley NPCs